Monday, 20 September 2021

Erev Sukkot

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I'm abbreviating this week because Shomair is celebrating Sukkot at Camp Galilee on Norris Lake. Come join us for a day or two if you can. Just a reminder, our Shabbat service will be there this week (and not at Shomair).

Sukkot is a holiday in which God commands us to be joyful. Leviticus 23:41 You are to celebrate it as a festival to Adonai for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations - you are to celebrate it in the seventh month. But that's not definitive enough. The Hebrew just says to observe the holiday as a Chag (the word used for every holiday).

So there is Deuteronomy 16:15 Seven days you will feast to Adonai your God in the place He chooses, because Adonai your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hand, and you will be completely filled with joy. The last word in Hebrew is sameach. There, that's it, have a party and rejoice. Do you know why it's called "RE-joice?" Because we are supposed to do it and then do it again, Od Pa'am as we say in Hebrew. 7 days long with an 8th day (Shemini Atzeret appended to the end). More on that tomorrow.